COVID-19 has Dollar General amending hours and dedicating first hour of shopping to seniors

Starting Tuesday, March, 17, Dollar General stores plan to dedicate the first hour of shopping each day to senior shoppers. Dollar General strongly encourages that the first hour of operations each day be dedicated solely to the shopping needs of senior customers – one of the groups most vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus. This is to provide these at-risk customers the opportunity to purchase the items they want at the beginning of each day to avoid busier and more crowded shopping periods. Other shoppers are encouraged to plan shopping trips later to allow the most susceptible customers to shop during the first hour that stores are open.

“In keeping with our mission and our ongoing commitment to serve our communities, we are dedicating the first hour of each day to seniors.  We appreciate our customers’ understanding of our decision and request they visit our stores later in the morning to allow at-risk populations the ability to purchase the items they need at affordable prices,” Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO said in a press release. “During these unprecedented times, Dollar General is diligently working to meet the ongoing needs of our customers and communities. We are proud to live our mission and provide customers with everyday low prices on the household essentials that are used and replenished most often.”

Stores in the local area open at 8 a.m. They will close an hour earlier each day, at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m., to allow employees to clean and re-stock shelves.